Exposure assessment of 170 pesticide ingredients and derivative metabolites in people from the Central Andes of Peru

Abstract

The Central Andes of Peru are a region of great concern regarding pesticide risk to the health of local communities. Therefore, we conducted an observational study to assess the level of pesticide contamination among Andean people. Analytical chemistry methods were used to measure the concentrations of 170 pesticide-related compounds in hair samples from 50 adult Andean subjects living in rural and urban areas. As part of the study, a questionnaire was administered to the subjects to collect information regarding factors that increase the risk of pesticide exposure. Our results indicate that Andean people are strongly exposed to agrochemicals, being contaminated with a wide array of pesticide-related compounds at high concentration levels. Multivariate analyses and geostatistical modeling identified sociodemographic factors associated with rurality and food origin that increase pesticide exposure risk. The present study represents the first comprehensive investigation of pesticide-related compounds detected in body samples collected from people living in the Central Andes of Peru. Our findings pinpoint an alarming environmental situation that threatens human health in the region and provide a rationale for improving public policies to protect local communities.

Methomyl has clastogenic and aneugenic effects and alters the mitotic kinetics in Pisum sativum L.

“…Bridges were most likely formed by breakage and combining of chromosomal bridges, which got enhanced with methomyl treatment. Chromosome stickiness and subsequent failure of free anaphase division or irregular translocation or inversion of chromosomal fragments can all lead to the creation of chromosomal bridges (Jing et al 2022 a ;Honles et al 2022). The fusion of broken chromosomes was the primary cause of the formation of bridges as per Rosculet et al (2019;Honles et al 2022).…”

Síntomas y signos por exposición directa e indirecta a plaguicidas en habitantes de Bailadores, Municipio Rivas Dávila, Estado Mérida, 2018

“…La exposición ocupacional o directa ocurre en todas las etapas del desarrollo, formulación, fabricación y uso de plaguicidas (Sánchez-Alarcón et al, 2021); no obstante, son los trabajadores agrícolas quienes poseen el mayor riesgo debido a sus prácticas de aplicación y cosecha (Honles et al, 2022). Adicionalmente, la población general que habita en zonas cercanas a las áreas donde se aplican los plaguicidas tambien está expuesta en forma indirecta o pasiva, debido a que estos productos o sus residuos pueden estar presentes en los alimentos y en el agua de consumo (OMS, 2018).…”